27 February 2014: The Program on Forests (PROFOR) has released a number of updates on its activities and programmes in support of forest and REDD+ benefit sharing and forest governance.

With regards to benefit sharing, PROFOR reported on two approaches, the Forest Dialogue (TFD) REDD+ Initiative and the Options Assessment Framework. On REDD+, TFD convenes leaders in REDD+ policy and implementation for discussions on the state of REDD+ benefit sharing and challenges in expanding implementation. The Options Assessment Framework will be launched in Kenya and Mexico with a third country from East Asia to be selected. Within each country, a participatory approach will be employed in order to assess and enhance benefit sharing.

The PROFOR project on forest governance will assess measurement efforts of the impacts of forest governance interventions. The project reviewed forestry projects within the World Bank portfolio in order to identify governance interventions and their impacts. Results suggest that the World Bank should build awareness of impact evaluation techniques, increase financial resources for the evaluation of forest governance investments, and establish a community of practices, and help desk to support improved monitoring and evaluation. [PROFOR Press Release on the Forest Dialogue] [PROFOR Press Release on Participatory Benefit Sharing] [PROFOR Press Release on Forest Governance]